The present invention relates generally to packaging for the dispensing of a medicament to be applied by an applicator, and more particularly to a disposable easy to use single patient dose medicament dispenser or package having an applicator.
In many applications, and in particular the medical and dental professions, it is often necessary to apply a small amount of material with an applicator. Often, a dedicated applicator must be associated with the material to be applied. This is a result of the characteristics of the material to be applied or the desire and need to apply the material or a medicament to a single patient and then discarding the remainder to prevent the possibility of cross contamination between multiple patients. Presently in the medical profession, it is common to use a bulk container containing a medicament in combination with a multitude of disposable applicators such as brushes, spatulas, or cotton swabs. While in these applications the applicator is disposed of after each use, the possibility exists for the bulk container to become contaminated and therefore unusable, or if undetected, posing a health risk. Often it is difficult to determine whether or not a bulk container has become contaminated. Additionally, in many instances it is difficult to determine whether an applicator has been used and therefore contaminated. Often, applicators have been purchased and stored separately from the medicament or material to be applied. For example, a single use applicator is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,001,803 entitled xe2x80x9cDisposable Dental Brushxe2x80x9d issuing to Discko on Mar. 26, 1991, which is herein incorporated by reference. Therein disclosed is a disposable dental brush for applying various dental materials having an elongated handle with a tuft of bristles at one end. Additionally, various trays for holding and assisting in the dispensing of materials and medicaments are known. One such tray is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,106,297 entitled xe2x80x9cDental Bond Liquid and Sealant Trayxe2x80x9d issuing to Discko on Apr. 21, 1992. Therein disclosed is a dental tray having depressions therein for holding a bottle of dental material and a plurality of distinctive shaped wells used for mixing. The common practice of dispensing a bulk material or medicament onto a tray that is supplied separately and in bulk and mixed with an applicator that is supplied separately and in bulk is often difficult and confusing. Often upon opening a bulk container, it requires some time to locate a tray as well as an applicator. Often one of the components necessary is missing or not readily available. Therefore, the procedure, once started, cannot be completed immediately. This is particularly disadvantageous in the application of materials or medicaments that require a specified amount of time in order to be effective. For example, this is true with materials or medicaments that are light sensitive or that have begun a chemical reaction that once started, cannot be stopped. One such system that has contributed to the ease of use in applying a medicament is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,240,415 entitled xe2x80x9cDental Bleach System Having Separately Compartmented Fumed Silica and Hydrogen Peroxide and Method of Usingxe2x80x9d issuing to Haynee on Aug. 31, 1993. Therein disclosed is a supply of fumed silica provided in a mixing chamber and a supply of hydrogen peroxide solution provided in an ampule packaged together with a spatula for mixing and applying the medicament after mixing to a dental surface. While the invention disclosed in this patent contributes to the easy use of medicaments, it constitutes a relatively large packaging system that is often difficult to open and use. Therefore, there is a need for a different packaging concept that will be easier to open and use, less costly to manufacture with less wasted material and provide easy handling.
The present invention is a single patient dose package for storing, dispensing, and applying a material or medicament that requires an applicator such as a brush, swab, spatula or the like. A tray is formed having a medicament well and an applicator well. The applicator well is configured to prevent contact with the medicament in the medicament well prior to the intended use and application of the medicament to the applicator in a particular procedure. The applicator well is formed to retain therein an applicator until ready for use. The applicator well is shorter than the applicator permitting a portion, i.e. the handle of the applicator to extend beyond the applicator well and one edge of the tray. A cover covers the tray, medicament well, and applicator well preventing contamination of the applicator and the medicament contained within the tray.
In one form of the invention, the medicament well is rendered squeezable whereby the medicament in the medicament well may be squeezed to extrude the medicament in the medicament well into an adjacent applicator well and onto the applicating end of the applicator therein without removing the cover. In another form of the invention, the applicator is provided with a piercing end by which the user may pierce or perforate the cover overlying the medicament well with the piercing end of the applicator and through which the applicating end of the applicator may be inserted to pick up the medicament to be applied. This technique is particularly suitable when the medicament in the medicament well is a liquid or fluent.
In the various embodiments disclosed, the applicating end of the applicator is releaseably retained within the application well in a manner to prohibit any unintentional separation of the applicator from the applicator well and whereby separation of the application may be intentionally achieved by applying a reasonable pulling force on the extended handle portion of the applicator.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a convenient, single patient dose package that is easy to use and/or open.
It is a further object of the present invention to prevent potential contamination of a medicament and the applicator due to prolonged exposure during storage prior to use.
It is an advantage of the present invention that the single dose package is easy to open.
It is a further advantage of the present invention that the single dose package with applicator requires a minimum amount of packaging material in the making thereof.
It is a feature of the present invention that a portion of the applicator extends beyond the tray and affixed cover.
It is a further feature of the present invention that a disposable applicator is conveniently associated with a single patient dose of medicament in a convenient, easy to use package.
It is another object of this invention to provide a medicament package with an applicator having an applicating end portion and a piercing end portion whereby the latter is used for piercing the cover overlying the medicament well.
Another object is to provide a medicament package having an applicator releaseably retained therein in a manner to prohibit any unintentional separation thereof.
These and other objects, advantages, and features will become readily apparent in view of the following more detailed description.